Brake-beam.



J. M. ROHLFING.

BRAKE BEAM.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE24. 1911.

Patented May 25, 1915.

WITNESSES mffliiTOR ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT Fric1:.

JOHN 'M. ROHLFING, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN CAR AND FOUNDRY COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS,

MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

BRAKE-BEAM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1915.

Application filed June 24, 1911. Serial No. 635,219.

To all whom it may concern will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and to use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be un derstood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is'obvious that various modificationsthereof will occur to persons skilled in the art.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of a brake beam embodying the features of the invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged end View. Fig. 3 is a transverse horizontal section taken on a plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an elevational detail view of the parts shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 5

is a sectional view of the improved brake beam, the section being taken about midway its length near the strut, and shows how the compression member and tension member are held in position with relation to said strut.

The object of this invention is to provide a brake beam so constructed that the connection of its stress members with the brake heads will not be detrimentally afiected by the slight, though almost; continuous, movement of the ends ofthe stress members relative to each other in use.

A further object is to provide a connecting means between the stressmembers and the brake heads which may be easily repaired when damaged.

No claim is here made to the strut as an article of manufacture, as 'it forms the sub ject-matter of a divisional application, Serial No. 720,027, filed September 12, 1912. Referring to the drawings by numerals 1, indicates the compression member, and 2 legs of site ends disposed adjacent the opposite ends of the compression member and with its central portion spaced relatively a short distance away from the compression member, thereby forming a wide V shaped tension member. i

In order that the strut between the stress members may be readily placed in position it comprises a casting 3, formed with its endsidentical, and each comprising ayoke 4. The yoke 4, at one end straddles the tension member 2, and is thereby held from displacement on said tension member. The the yoke at the opposite end fit snugly between the flanges of the compression member.

To revent movement of the strut 3, longitudinally of the compression member a pair of rivets 5 are extended through alined apertures 66 in the flanges of said compression member and in the end portion ofthe strut. A U-bolt 7 is extended through the apertures 6 at the opposite end of the strut bridging the yoke 4 outside of the tension member 2.

The intermediate portion of the strut 3 is formed with the usual diagonally disposed bearing pocket 8, for the brake lever,

-not illustrated.

diagonal pocket 8 to right orleft according as one or the other end is fixed to said member.

Since the connections between the opposite ends of the compression and tension members are identical one of said connections only will be described. l

An aperture 9 is formed through the web of the compression member and the end portion 'of the tension member is bent as at 10 and said bent portion is extended through said aperture and threaded to re.- ceive a nut 11.

The brake head 12 is formed upon its rear side with transverse depressions 13-13 shaped to receive the flanges of the compression member, a portion 14 of said brake head, between said depressions, being disposed to project between the flanges of the com ression member. Rivets 1515 are exten ed through alined apertures in the portion 14 and in suitable stiffening ribs 16-'16' portion 14, said brake head being placed in the structure with the. aperture 19 in alineinentwi-th the aperture 9 in the compression member.

The walls of the aperture 19 are rounded to correspond to the curvature of the bent portion 10 of the tension member, the end portions of. the tension member being disposed to project through said depression 18 and aperture 19 and through theaperture 9. As shown in the drawings, said 20 ,walls are curved,'as described, in opposite said brake head directions, that is in coincidence with the curvature of the end portion 10 and in a similar curve at the side opposite said portion 10, so that the brake head may be reversed, if desired, the inner face thereof becoming the outer face and what is shown in the drawings as the outer face being positionedbetween the member 2 and the compression member.. An advantage incident to the described formation" is that each brake head is thereby made interchangeable.

and may be usedat-either end of the brake beam and will there fit'the curvature of the end portion 10 of the tension member 2.

A nut lock 20 is arranged between the nut 11 and the outer surface of'the web of'the compression member, one end of said lock being bent against a flat-side face of said nut andthe opposite end of said nut lock being bent overthe end of said compression member.

It will be noted that though the structure is extremely simple the parts are held firmly.

In case of wear, breakage, etc, any of the members comprising-the beam may be easily removed without necessitating renewal of any part undamaged A A further advantage gained by the con-' struction described, -resides in that tightening of the nuts 11, will produce 'cambering of thebeam suflicient to accommodate the face of the brake shoe, carried by the brake head, to the tread of the car wheel in connection with which the beam is to be employed. V

at I claim is: I 1. A brake beam comprising said compression meniber, said tension member havmg end portions extending through sion member.

'2. A brake beameompnsmg a brake head,- a channel compression member, and a tena brake head, .a compression member, and a tension member-termmatmg between opposlte ends of and through said compres s on member, ."said-brake'head having a portion extending into the channel of said com-- pression, member and said tension member I having-end portions extending through said brake head and through said compression.

member, and independent means connecting;

1iaid brake head to said compression" mem-- 4.- A brake beam'comprising'a brake head, a channel'compression member, a tension member, and means for connecting said! brake head to said compression member partly within said channel, said tension member having a single bend at its end and extended through the web of said compres sion member. i

5. A brake beam comprising a channelcompression member, a brake head partly within said channel, a tension member, and securing means extending through the. flanges of said compression member and through said brake head, said tension mem ber extending through said brake head and through the web of said compression member.

6. In a brake beam, a flanged compression member, a recessed brake head provided with flanges contiguous to the recess, means connecting the flanges of the brake head and compressionmember and a tension mem-' ber projected through said brake head and compression member. in

7. A brake beam comprising a compression member in the form of a channel, a'

tension member having an end extending through the web of said. compression memher and extending from the same substan-' tially at right angles to'the length of said compression member.

8. A brake beam comprising a compression member in the form 'of a channel bar, a tension member having a screw threaded end passing through the web and having its central portion extending between the flanges of said compression member, and a nut engaging said screw threaded end and bearing on the back of said web.

9. A brake beam comprising a compression member, a head extending substantially at right angles therefrom and a tension member having a portion extending in the general direction of movement'of saidhead, and extending through the same and through said compression member..

10. Abrakebeam comprising a slightly bowed compression member, heads on said compression member and a wide V tension, member, the ends of said tension member being parallel, said parallel ends attached to said compression member, and passing through said heads.

11. A brake beam comprising a slightly bowed continuous compression member and a wide V tension member, the ends of said tension member being parallel, said parallel ends extending through said compression member and removable means holding said ends in position on said compression member.

12. In a truss, a compression member and a tension member having an end thereof bolted to said compression member and extending laterally therefrom.

13. In a truss, a compression member and a tension member having an end thereof attached to said compression member and extending laterally therefrom and means engaging the rear face of said compression member to removably lock the tension member to the compression member.

14. In a brake beam, a channel shaped compression member, a brake head having a portion fitting within the channel, and a tension member passing through said portion and channel.

15. In a brake beam, a channel shaped compression member, a brake head having a portion fitting within the channel, and a tension member passing through said portion and member, said tension member as sisting to hold said head to said compression member.

16. In a brake beam, the combination of a channel shaped compression member, a

head having a portion fitting within said channel, a tension member passing through said portion to said member and assisting to hold said head to said compression member.

17. In a brake beam, the combination of a channel shaped compression member, a head having a portion fitting between the flanges of said channel, a tension member passing through said ortion and through said compression member and assisting to hold said head to the web of said compression member, and means acting on said ten sion member to draw said head into engagement with said compression member.

18. In a brake beam the combination of a channel member, a brake head having a portion fitting within the channel, means passing through said portion and member and a tension member also passing through said member and portion.

19. In a brake beam, the combination of a compression member, a head projecting from one end of said compression member, a ten-' sion member passing through said head and compression member, means on the side of the compression member opposite said head engaging said tension member to draw head into engagement with said compression member.

20. In a brake beam, the combination of a compression member, a head projecting from one side of said compression member, a

JOHN M. ROI'HJFING.

Witnesses:

OSCAR Hoommns, PAUL M. BEARD.

said 

